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wood down to about three inches in diameter on the small end. These mills produce hardwood chips that are used to make paper.

Solid-wood products made from small-diameter wood include lumber for items such as cabinets, flooring, pallets and industrial blocking. A recent study conducted by University of Missouri Extension Forester Hank Stelzer and the Missouri Forest Products Association concluded that current sawmill technology yielded 2 percent grade lumber, 17 percent flooring, and 81 percent pallet and blocking lumber from small-diameter wood.

Sawmills have been reconfiguring so they can create wood products out of smaller diameter wood.

“Five years ago the average diameter of the logs that we processed was 14 inches,” said Jerry Lough, who owns Canoak USA, located near Salem. “Today our average log measures approximately 10.5 inches in diameter. If we didn’t adapt to these changes, there is no way we could stay competitive in today’s markets.”

Madison County Wood Products, located near Fredericktown, also recently reconfigured their sawmill to make use of smaller diameter wood. They can now process wood that is at least 20 feet in length and at least 5 inches in diameter on the small end.

At most mills it costs more to produce the same volume of high-value lumber and flooring from small wood than it does from larger logs. This could soon change, however. According to Stelzer, new sawmill technology is coming along that is capable of producing five times greater volume of pallets and industrial blocking from small-diameter wood with operating costs less than half.

High oil prices also may add value to small-diameter wood. Technology currently exists to produce biofuels (ethanol and diesel) from wood fiber.

Potlatch Corporation announced this year that it was participating in a feasibility study for a proposed biorefinery pilot project at its Cypress Bend, Arkansas, facility. The proposed plant would convert forest and agricultural waste into biofuels.

According to company Vice President Harry Seamans, preliminary estimates indicate that the biorefinery could annually produce fuels equivalent to 1.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 80,000 MWH of electricity per year. That’s enough natural gas to supply 20,000 homes and enough electricity to power as many as 8,000 homes!

Trees to Market

Often, the biggest challenge in making good use of small-diameter wood is finding economical ways to extract it from the forest and get it to the market or mill.

The Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council (EOFC) and the Conservation Department conducted a mechanized thinning trial of three different types of harvesting equipment.

Peter Becker, research coordinator for the EOFC, said the most efficient equipment combination for harvesting small-diameter wood is a “cut-to-length” harvester and forwarder. Although this equipment looks large and ungainly, it’s extremely efficient and has a small footprint.

“It actually exerts less ground pressure than a person walking in the woods,” Becker said.

The council and the Department are planning a wider trial of large-scale mechanized harvesting operations. The study would take place over a much longer period of time, on a variety of different sites, and in forested stands of various sizes and densities.

Landowners may be able to use cost-share funds to get the trees cut through a timber stand improvement operation. Cost-share funds are very limited, however, and competition is great.

The Missouri Forest Products Association is working on a study of Missouri’s forest resources. MFPA Executive Director Brian Brookshire said, “The MFPA is very interested in developing programs that will result in the removal and utilization of small-diameter, low-quality stems from otherwise overstocked forest stands. Removal of such material can benefit both the forest landowner and the forest industry and result in healthy, sustainable forests that are growing at optimal rates.”

The study also will help to ensure that our forest resources can support a refining facility designed to make use of forest biomass.

“We are not trying to replace any current markets by producing biomass,” Brookshire said, “but, rather, add biomass to the existing suite of wood products already being produced in Missouri. We envision this material being used to generate power and produce cellulosic ethanol in the near future.”

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The Missouri Forest Products Association's mission is to encourage the wise use and conservation of our nation's natural resources. The industry's complex business concerns also include safety and environmental issues.

There is something about a big tree that commands interest, respect and a certain amount of awe. Trees are the largest and oldest living organisms. This page details the requirements for a Missouri State Champion Tree.

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